Creamy Butternut Squash Soup with Miso-Tamarind Swirl

Sauté onion and cinnamon stick in oil over low heat until onion is softened, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add carrots, butternut squash, and vegetable stock. Bring to boil, then simmer, covered, until carrots and squash are soft, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat and discard cinnamon stick. In small and roughly equal increments of vegetables and stock, ladle mixture into blender. Blend until very smooth. Pour into large bowl or another pot. Repeat until entire mixture is blended. Stir in nutmeg, cloves and salt. Adjust seasoning to taste.

While soup is cooking, combine miso, tamarind, maple syrup, garlic, ginger and 1 tablespoon stock in a bowl and stir until smooth.

In a saucepan over low flame, heat miso sauce. When it begins to lightly bubble, stir and continue to cook for 30 seconds or so. Add remaining stock. Bring to a boil and stir in tomato paste. When sauce thickens, remove from heat and sed aside. When cooled slightly, pour into a "squirtable" plastic container and design your own swirls over individual cups of soup. If you don't have a plastic squeeze bottle, pour from a measuring cup.